Owner to Owner: Christina Blumling

Christina Blumling Christina & Company Lafayette, Indiana

Geno Stampora, Frank Gambozza and Scott Missad. Through all my years in the industry, they have empowered me the most.

I opened my own salon because…I wanted to make a difference in the industry. I had big dreams of creating a salon that was known for its high professionalism and education.

The first thing I do when I come into the salon each morning…Is communicate with my front desk and look at the computer to see how the day looks. Then I read through my messages and plan out my day.

Our best customer service techniques are…Offering each client a variety of drinks from our juice bar and walking clients to their vehicles on rainy days.

I am most productive…When I am on a deadline.

When I'm stressed out...I get a massage from one of our wonderful massage therapists. Also, I try really hard to focus only on the positive things.

I get inspiration from…Watching my staff grow and succeed at work and in life.

The best job perk I offer my staff…Is 100-percent-paid health insurance.

Our best strategy for making a first-time client a regular…Is we give out a gift bag containing our menu of services, samples and a voucher offering discounted services from each department of our salon. This voucher allows the client to experience all of our services at a good value.

The biggest change I've noticed since entering the industry is…The clients are expecting more from each service. They want to become more educated on the products the service provider uses and the process of the service.

The most satisfying part of my job is…Having a team that impacts the way our customers feel by making them look beautiful.

Looking ahead, I am most excited about…Taking the salon to its highest potential. We have huge plans for renovation, which will create a new image for ourselves. In our beauty school, we are now teaching business fundamentals, which is an incredible jump-start for the new professionals entering the industry. This new class gives the students a good business mind when starting their career.